Animal lover offers help for horses after floods

Story of three horses put to sleep in Esher inspires fundraising initiative to help others

Jenny Andersson had to evacuate horses from Garsons Stables in Esher as the water levels rose

The story of an Esher stable owner, who had her horses put down after flooding left her with huge costs and nowhere to keep them, has inspired a fundraising initiative.

Jenny Andersson ran a stable at Garsons in Winterdown Road and took the hard decision to have her four horses put down on Monday February 3 after repeat flooding and evacuations left her with sky-rocketing costs.

After reading her story in the Surrey Advertiser, horse lover Hayley Shanahan from Addlestone was inspired to start a fundraising drive called Help for Horse Yards, raising money, collecting equipment and offering man power to yards hit by the flooding.

Mobilising the Surrey equestrian community, Miss Shanahan began the initiative on Tuesday and in the first five hours had already raised £135 on a fundraising website.

“This is for the yards that have suffered with the flooding, so they can replace the losses if they are not insured, things like hay, straw and equipment,” she said.

“I have been around horses all my life so I know how expensive it is.

“I have offered to give items to them that they might need.”

Miss Shanahan has already agreed to give several of her rugs away to needy horses, saying she would rather they went to good use than sit in storage.

She currently has some extra equipment which is not being used, as her horse is out on loan.

Miss Shanahan is offering to help any Surrey yard experiencing difficulties, either with money or equipment, or by pitching with manpower at the locations that have been affected.

“This is due to the lady who had to put her horses down,” she said.

“It was bad that she had to come to that, but she had no other choice.

“I have contacted the majority of the equestrian centres and larger stores to ask if they can donate anything, so far I haven’t heard back from them.”

Miss Shanahan said she has had a good response from people donating items such as rugs to the cause.

She also stressed that if anyone needs help clearing their yard then she and a team of volunteers are on standby ready to help.

“There are quite a lot of people who want to get involved now,” she said.

She added a lot of yards are in difficulty at the moment and need help from the community.

To donate visit www.gofundme.com/6sul60. Alternatively visit the Surrey Horse and Pony group on Facebook, where people can post offers of equipment, www.facebook.com/groups/surreyhorseandpony.

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She has been editorial director of the online and print titles in Surrey and north-east Hampshire since 2007. Marnie previously worked at the BBC as a producer for 5 Live, having moved to national radio from BBC Sussex and Surrey.